


Making of A Family, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-10-23
Updated: 2000-10-23
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Abby overhears Jed's conversation with Leo.  What should she do now?





	1. Making of A Family, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

Abbey felt her heart almost stop when she heard his words... He thought he was falling in love with her... Abbey felt her heart jump-start again, racing furiously.

He couldn't be... Before a couple short days ago, they hadn't laid eyes on each other in thirty years. How could someone possibly begin to fall in love this quickly?

Abbey tried to get her breathing back under control when she looked up and saw her children come into the room. She managed a weak smile and made room for Brennan to sit beside her.

"You better Mom?" Brennan asked.

"A little," Abbey managed to croak out.

"You don't look better Mom," Jason observed.

"Yeah," Ariel spoke up. "You're all pale and you're sweating..."

"I'm fine," Abbey insisted, her thoughts miles away. She opened her mouth to say something further when Jed walked back through the doors.

"Okay, you three." Jed began. "You're spending the night here tonight."

"Yes!" Brennan exclaimed.

Jason sat beside the couch, "That could be cool."

Ariel shrugged, "Fine with me."

Jed nodded, "Great, now Ariel... why don't you go with my aide Charlie and you can get whatever your Mom..." Jed trailed off as his gaze fell on Abbey.

The three kids turned to their mother. Abbey was taking short, quick breaths. Her face was gleaming with perspiration. She looked like she was going to throw up.

Jed groaned as he and the kids gathered around her to help, "Not again..."

TBC...

  

  

  

  


	2. Making of A Family, The 2

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

With all eyes on her, Abbey somehow managed to pull it together. Slowly, her breathing evened out, and the urge she was feeling went away. "I'm... okay..." Abbey said between breaths.

"Are you sure?" Jed knelt down on the carpet and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah... I'm sure."

"Okay then, as I was saying. Ariel, go with Charlie, get whatever items you, your brothers, and your mother will need to spend the night here. When you get back..." Jed trailed off as he heard Abbey's breathing begin to become abnormal again. "You're sure you're okay? Maybe we should go put you in a bed right now."

"Yeah..."

"Okay." Jed said, as he helped Abbey up. "This way." He directed her down a hall. "I don't have any rooms guest ready yet, so you're going to have to lay down on my bed..." Abbey's breathing became erratic at this thought. Finally, the urge she'd been fighting won.

"Come on." Jed said, pulling her back up. "Let's go to my room ... or better yet, my bathroom..."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. It can always be washed. Don't worry about anything but your own health."

'Easier said than done. Why'd you have to go and say you think you're falling in love with me? Cause I...' Abbey's thoughts were interrupted as she stumbled on the carpet and went tumbling into Jed's arms.

"You okay?" He asked, putting her upright on her feet. When she nodded, Jed said, "Okay. Well, here we are." Jed opened the doors to his room and moved his hand out, motioning her in.

"Bathroom..." She said, looking around. "Need bathroom..."

TBC...

  

  


	3. Making of A Family, The 3

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

Jed turned down the covers of his bed while he waited for Abbey to come out of the bedroom. He shook his head, she had looked so miserable since he helped out of the movie theater... He thought she would be over her movie scare by now, but something was, as Ariel put it, freaking her out.

Jed heard the door to his bathroom open and he turned around to find Abbey leaning in the doorway. He froze for a moment; She was wearing the sweatpants and the old t-shirt he had given her to wear until Ariel got back from their house... Her high heeled shoes were off and Jed could see just how short she really was.

He smiled at her, "You look a little bit better," He walked over to her and helped her over to his bed. "Climb up here and lay down."

"Mr. President, I can just lay on the couch until-"

"Nonsense," Jed interrupted. "I don't want to hear another word about it from you." Jed pulled the covers up around her, "Feel any better?"

Abbey nodded, "A little..." she managed a small smile, "I suppose the pizza and the movie were too much for me today."

"I suppose so."

"I'm sorry about the carpet..."

"It's all right," Jed replied.

"Thank you," Abbey said quietly.

Jed spoke just as softly, "You're welcome..." He started to brush her hair out of her face, but then he caught himself. He glanced down at the floor and then back at her, "I'm going to see what the boys are getting into... you stay here and try to sleep..."

"Okay," Abbey replied as he walked out the door.

TBC...

  

  


	4. Making of A Family, The 4

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

When Jed left his bedroom, he returned to the living room, to where he left the boys. The only thing is, they were no longer there.

"Damnit." Jed proclaimed as he began his search. "How the hell did I ever get mixed up with any of this to begin with?" He asked himself, turning a corner, and finding a football land right into his chest.

"Crap. Didn't mean to do that, Mr. President." Brennan replied from the other end of the hallway. "Sorry."

"What are the two of you doing playing football?" Jed tossed the ball over to Jason.

"We were bored." Jason explained as he threw the ball to his brother, who missed it, because the cast on his leg didn't allow for maneuvering capabilities.

As he heard a crash, Jed closed his eyes. "Tell me that wasn't the antique lamp from 1881." Jed pleaded.

"Uhhh..." Jason stammered. "Sorry." He put on an innocent face.

When Jed reopened his eyes, he looked over to the broken lamp laying on the floor. "It's alright, it was only a lamp from James Garfield's presidency." Jed struggled to write it off as no big thing.

"We're really sorry, Mr. President." Brennan replied, hobbling over on his crutches.

"What happened?" Ariel said, appearing behind Jed. "What did Dork boy and Rodent do now?"

"Don't call me that." Jason insisted.

"Don't tell me what to do." Ariel replied as she saw the lamp. "You guys do this?" She began to laugh. "You let them play football in the White House?" She turned to Jed.

"No, I didn't." Jed glared at the boys intensely.

TBC...


	5. Making of A Family, The 5

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

Abbey groaned when she heard a crash emanate from the hallway. She crawled out of the comfortable bed and made her way over to the door. Opening the door, she made her way down the hallway where she was met by four arguing people.

When they saw her the four people began talking at once.

"Mom, Ariel called me a rodent!"

"She called me Dork boy!"

"The President let them play football in the house, Mom."

"Abbey, they left the-"

"They broke a lamp Mom," Ariel interrupted Jed.

"It wasn't my fault, Brennan didn't catch-"

"I'm trying to speak-"

"Crap, I didn't miss on purpose-"

Abbey raised her hands in the air, "Stop talking, all of you!" She waited until all voices had ceased making noise before continuing, "Now, let me get this straight... Brennan, you and Jason left the living room and went out into the hallway and started to play football?"

"Yes, ma'am." Brennan responded.

"Yes, ma'am." Jason responded.

"Okay," Abbey replied. "Then you broke a lamp?"

Jed jumped in, "Yes, a lamp from 1881. It was-"

Abbey held up her hand, "Mr. President, with all due respect, what did I just say?"

"For everyone to stop talking..." Jed trailed off as he got her message loud and clear.

"Thank you," Abbey turned back to her boys. "So, you broke an expensive, antique while doing something you aren't even allowed to do at home?"

"Yes, ma'am." Jason replied.

"Yes, ma'am." Brennan replied.

Abbey turned to Ariel, "Then you called your brothers, Rodent and Dork boy?"

Ariel nodded, "Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Abbey took a breath and started to say something. Then she shook her head, "I've got to sit down." She turned and walked away, leaving the four in the hallway.

Jason turned to his siblings, "We're in a lot of trouble."

"Yeah," Ariel responded.

"Yeah," Brennan agreed.

Jed just sighed as he leaned against the wall.

TBC...

  

  


	6. Making of A Family, The 6

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

"Mom?" Ariel cautiously entered Jed's bedroom. "Mom, you in here?"

"Yeah, over here." Abbey's voice answered from the bed.

"Mom, we came to apologize, and to make it up to you."

"How are you planning on making it up to me?" Abbey asked as she peeled the pillow off of her face.

"We were thinking... maybe watch a movie with you."

"Not if it's going to be anything like that other one." Abbey was quick to reply.

"Crap, we wouldn't do that to you twice, Mom." Brennan popped into the bedroom. "We had Charlie go get Bambi."

"Yeah, we thought we could all climb into bed with you, like we used to do when Dad was still alive, and we could watch the movie." Jason explained.

"I'd like that." Abbey's voice was close to tears. "I'd like that a lot." 

~~~ 

Abbey sighed as she looked down at her children... sleeping. And it was only halfway through the movie. Sighing one more time, Abbey suddenly found a leg scooting her off the bed. With a smile, Abbey moved completely off the bed, and headed for the door.

Walking in the hallway, she heard a noise... a television. Following the noise, she was led into the living room of the residence, to find Jed sleeping in a recliner chair, watching CNN.

Forgetting where she was, and who he was, as well as the confession she overheard earlier, Abbey somehow felt completely relaxed. Moving over, she turned the TV off, and then found a blanket and covered him up.

"I love you." Jed said, coming out of his sleep.

Abbey shut her eyes and froze up. There were those words again.

"Mr. President..."

TBC...

  

  


	7. Making of A Family, The 7

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

Abbey took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She looked at Jed. He hadn't stirred. She let her hand brush through his hair very gently. Ever so softly, she ran her hand down his face, "I think I love you too."

Abbey tucked the blanket tighter over him. Then she laid down on the couch next to him. She closed her eyes and tried to allow sleep to overtake her.

Jed's eyes blinked open and he glanced over at Abbey. Her eyes were closed ... she had no idea that he had heard her...

But he had.

And she had heard him...

He watched as her breathing became steady and deep. Then he closed his eyes and tried to sleep himself. ~~ Abbey woke with a start. She sat up straight up on the couch, trying to determine what had woken her up. She waited half a second and then heard a young voice calling her.

"Mom!"

"Brennan," she muttered, rushing from the couch. She shot out the door and into the hallway as Jed opened his eyes.

Abbey hurried into Jed's bedroom and found Jason and Ariel looking at their brother and then up at her.

Brennan was tossing and turning, in the grips of a nightmare, "Mom!" He cried again.

Abbey motioned for the other two to move and she climbed on the bed. She raised her son up from where he was laying, "It's all right, Brennan. Mom's here." She murmured, rocking her son back and forth. "It's okay, nothing's going to hurt you. You're all right, I'm here."

Jason and Ariel watched as their mother settled their little brother. Abbey looked over at them, "Are you two okay?" she whispered.

Ariel spoke for both of them, "Yeah, we're okay."

"Okay," Abbey slipped Brennan under the covers. "Come on, get into bed. He should be okay now."

Ariel and Jason crawled under the covers without a word, Brennan sandwiched in between them. Abbey tucked them in, "Goodnight."

Jason nodded, "Night, Mom."

Ariel caught her mother's hand, "Hey Mom?"

"What baby?"

"I think I like the geek..." Ariel said quietly.

Abbey smiled at her daughter, "I know... I think I do too." Abbey leaned down and placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead, "Now, try to get some sleep."

Abbey crept back out of the room, not paying any attention to her surroundings. She shut the bedroom door and the turned around to walk down the hallway.

However, she bumped right into something... or rather...

Someone....

She fell into Jed's arm for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

TBC...

  

  


	8. Making of A Family, The 8

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

"Hey there." Jed said, catching Abbey in his arms.

"Mr. President," She acknowledged, somewhat blushing.

"Is everything alright in there?"

"Yeah, Brennan just had another one of his nightmares. Nothing to concern yourself over." She answered, picking herself up, out of his arms.

"Okay." Jed replied as the two walked back towards the living room.

"I'm sorry about them taking up your bed."

"It's alright. And speaking of which, if you'd like, I can show you to a room now." Jed glanced in her direction.

"No, I'll sleep just fine on the couch... I wouldn't want to be somewhere, where they can't find me." Abbey smiled at him.

'She looks absolutely radiant,' Jed thought, as the moved into the living room, Abbey went back to the couch, and Jed to his chair. "So when did Brennan begin to have nightmares?"

"About ten months ago... right after his father died."

"Does he have them often?"

Laying down, Abbey said, "He had them everyday for the first few months, but then he stopped having them as often... now, he's down to about one or two a month."

"Poor guy." Jed said as he reclined back in his chair.

"Yeah."

"Do you know what they're about?"

"No, he won't open up to me. That's what his father was for... they were very close..." Tears threatened her.

"Would you mind if I spent some more time with him? Maybe on a one-on-one basis?"

"I'm sure he'd love it." Abbey smiled.

"And you?"

"I'd do anything for my kids."

TBC...

  

  


	9. Making of A Family, The 9

`The Making of a Family`  
by: Rhiannon & AJ  


 

It was well after midnight when Jason crept into the living room. He looked over at the couch where his mother slept. Then, he glanced over to where the President was sleeping in a recliner.

Neither looked very comfortable...

Jason set his pillow down on the floor in front of the couch. He wrapped himself in the blanket he had brought with him from the President's bedroom and laid down.

Moments after his head hit the pillow, he was sound asleep.

A little bit later, the door to the living room eased open once more. Brennan hobbled into the room on his crutches. He went past where his mother and brother were sleeping and stopped next to the recliner that held the President.

Brennan threw his crutches down on the floor and then lifted the blanket that covered the President. Without a sound, Brennan climbed onto Jed's lap. He brought the blanket up around him and drifted off to sleep.

Moments later, Ariel was making her way into the living room as well. She crept over to the large couch where her Mom slept, stepping over her slumbering brother.

Ariel laid down on the couch and immediately felt her mother's arms wrap around her.

"You okay?" Abbey mumbled without opening her eyes.

"Yeah," Ariel whispered back as her mother's arms tightened around her. Ariel closed her eyes and fell asleep in her mother's arms. 

~~ 

At eight o'clock the next morning, Leo McGarry walked into the living room of the White House residence. He stopped without a sound and smiled at the picture before him.

Abbey and her daughter, sleeping on the couch and Jason sound asleep on the floor in front of them.

But the thing that made Leo's eyes grow just slightly misty was the sight of his best friend and the eight year old boy asleep in the recliner. The boy's head was resting on Jed's chest, Brennan's right arm thrown casually over him. Jed had his arms around the boy, holding him loosely.

Leo shook his head with a smile as he backed out of the room and closed the door behind him. He looked over at the young black man standing just to his left, "Let them sleep, Charlie... It's Saturday."

Charlie nodded, "Yes, sir."

THE END...


End file.
